EU to Discuss Romania Schengen Bid in March, Basescu Says

By Andra Timu -
Dec 14, 2012

The European Union will discuss in
March Romania’s future accession to Europe’s passport-free
travel area, President Traian Basescu said.

Basescu met with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Dutch
Prime Minister Mark Rutte, whose countries have expressed
reservations about the Balkan country’s accession to the
Schengen Zone and discussed entry in one or several steps, he
said. A March 13-15 meeting by the EU’s Justice and Internal
Affairs Council will include discussion of bids by Romania and
Bulgaria to join Schengen, he said.

“I hope we will have a unanimous decision on the
accession, which is our right, unless we do something
politically stupid at home,” Basescu told reporters today in
Brussels after meeting other EU heads of state.

European countries that have opposed the entry of Romania
and Bulgaria, the EU’s two newest and poorest members, into
Schengen have cited a high level of corruption at their borders,
even though the commission ruled they have met all technical
criteria to join. The two Balkan nations need Schengen, which
enables free travel within borders of the zone’s members, to
further integrate into Europe.

Romania was engulfed in a power struggle between Romanian
Prime Minister Ponta and Basescu during the summer, which
culminated in a 52-day suspension for the president, followed by
an invalidated nationwide impeachment vote on July 29.

That dispute raised concerns from EU leaders, including
Merkel and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso.